The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a reservoir serving to contain the fluid, and a dispensing member such as a pump or a valve for extracting and dispensing the fluid contained in the reservoir. Conventionally, the reservoir comprises a bottom, side walls, and a neck on which or in which the dispensing member is mounted. This type of fluid dispenser is in frequent use in the fields of perfumes, cosmetics, or even pharmaceuticals. The pump is actuated manually by pressing on a pusher.
To draw off fluid from inside the reservoir, the dispensing member conventionally comprises a tube which extends from its inlet to the bottom of the reservoir. Such a tube is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cdip tubexe2x80x9d and it preferably extends to the point of touching the bottom of the reservoir. However, it can happen that the free end of the dip tube remains spaced apart from the bottom of the reservoir so that not all of the fluid contained in the reservoir can be drawn off through the dip tube. Furthermore, the dip tube is not a particularly aesthetically-pleasing element, and it can even spoil the aesthetic appearance of the dispenser, in particular in the field of perfumes.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 2,950,031 describes a fluid dispenser comprising a reservoir in the form of a can equipped with a cup in which a valve is mounted. The valve includes a dip tube that extends towards the bottom of the can to terminate in a corolla-like skirt. The corolla-like skirt is deformable so as to enable it to be inserted into the can. However, inside the can, the corolla-like skirt relaxes to return to its initial rest state. Once in the final assembly position, the corolla-like skirt is not in contact with the bottom, but rather it remains some distance away, so as to define an annular inlet opening through which the liquid stored in the can, can rise into the dip tube and through said dip tube up to the valve.
An object of the present invention is to improve the aesthetic appearance of the dip tube while also optimizing its capacity to draw off the fluid contained in the reservoir.
To achieve this object, the present invention provides a fluid dispenser comprising:
a reservoir forming a bottom, side walls and a neck; and
a dispensing member, such as a pump or a valve mounted on the neck, said member being provided with a tube extending inside the reservoir to the point of being in contact with said bottom via its free bottom end;
wherein, at least over a portion of its length, said tube has a deformation zone which is deformed by the free end of the tube pressing against said bottom. The tube pressing against the bottom of the reservoir guarantees that the tube is properly in contact with the bottom so as to draw off the maximum possible amount of fluid. In addition, the deformation zone makes it possible to compensate for the surplus initial length of the tube that is necessary to ensure that the tube is properly in contact with the bottom. The deformation zone of the tube may advantageously impart an aesthetically-pleasing effect that contributes to the overall appearance of the dispenser. It is possible, by means of a configuration of openings, cutouts, or slots in the tube, to impart an attractive appearance to the deformation zone.
Preferably, the deformation zone has a diameter greater than the diameter of the remainder of the tube, and advantageously greater than the diameter of the neck of the receptacle. It is even possible to dispose a resilient flexible element inside the tube at said deformation zone, which element guides or participates in the visually attractive deformation of the tube.
The tube may be a dip tube, or a tube surrounding a dip tube. When the dip tube extends inside the tube, the dip tube may be spaced apart from the bottom of the reservoir via its free end, i.e. it is the tube surrounding it that forms an extension-like portion that extends to the point of being in contact with the bottom of the reservoir. Advantageously, the tube may have a non-deformed zone between the free end of the dip tube and the bottom of the reservoir. It is thus possible to use the decorative tube that surrounds the dip tube to extend the dip tube, thereby guaranteeing that the dip tube draws off the maximum possible amount of fluid down to the bottom of the reservoir.